There must be deep respect, decency and dignity.

There is a certain pastor who keeps attacking the pope, repeatedly calling him the “anti- Christ” and also ill-speaking the Catholic Church.

As a Catholic I take umbrage with that.

The word Catholic means universal and all who accept Christianity are called Catholics.

The pastor is out of place and disrespectful, trying to create an impression of being knowledgeable, but he should be taken off the air.

However, he may be forgiven because he obviously does not know better.

A leader in a church who professes to be Christian would not attack another religion.

This pastor is preaching hate against the people of the Catholic Church.

The pope is a man of peace and not of hypocrisy.

People tuning in to the programme would see a religion that teaches hate and not love, which is the mantra of Christ.

This man is of confused mind and should not lecture to people who are none the wiser. He is leading them astray and to damnation. A true Christian leader would follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

HORACE DESORMEAUX Maraval

Winston Maraj, secretary of the association and project manager of Apiary Business said the project places strong emphasis on getting the youth in the area involved in order to prevent the area from developing a high percentage of delinquent youths.

“In Brasso Seco a lot of the youths are unemployed. If they work, they work for the government, or as a security guard or a cleaner. We want to create entrepreneurship, business activity, to stimulate growth.” He said initially project members approached the Police Youth Club in the community but, since they were dealing with Africanised killer bees, the parents did not want the children to participate. They therefore encouraged anyone in the area who was 18 and over to visit their operation, taste the honey, and learn about bee-keeping. He said most bee-keepers were very secretive about their trade and did not want to teach others, but they try to involve interested parties in every stage, from building the frames for the boxes serving as hives to bottling the honey.

According to Maraj, the project started because the resident bee-keeper in the association, Matthew Lopez, kept insisting that other members try the profitable practice.

“Most of us are farmers so we didn’t think that the forest would give us anything. We usually cut land down and plant christophine, cocoa, vegetables or citrus, but now we realise the forest itself is full of money.” Maraj said in 2013, he and his sister went to an apiary course at the Ministry of Agriculture at the Government Apiary in Wallerfield. On their encouragement, a few more members of the association decided to attend the next cycle of class. However, because the five-day course would take them away from their fields, as well as the added expense of travelling to and from Wallerfield, other farmers declined and instead got their practical knowledge from those who attended the course.

“Marlon Cowie- Clarke from Tobago has been instrumental in the process. He teaches us and helps us with the honey. He helps with the technical aspects and lends us his equipment, like the extractor, until we get on our feet. He really is a good fellow and a good bee-keeper too.” He said there was a large area of natural forest in Brasso Seco so they knew the bees would have done well and made excellent quality honey. The association began looking for funds to start the apiary business.

Last year, the project was initiated when Digicel gave the new bee-keepers $65,000, with which they bought bees, protective gear, and made hives. The Canadian Embassy also gave them money for a solar system to produce electricity to pump water up to the hives in the dry season, as well as to run their machinery.

They also received a small grant from the United Nations to set up a rain water harvesting system. This year, Digicel promised them $101,000, most of which they intend to use to purchase machinery to produce their honey.

To this end, the organisation has invested more than half a million dollars in upgrades to the Lady Hochoy School in Gasparillo.

The upgrades to the school included construction and covering of walkways, widening of corridors, installation of wheelchair ramps, construction of a storage room, construction of a permanent guard booth, refurbishment of the existing student toilets, construction of a new bathroom block and installation and upgrades of safety equipment in the event of a disaster. Through the company’s Digicel Play service, the Foundation has been able to supply the school with fibre broadband services at no cost to the school – a service which has been offered to several of the Foundation’s special needs partners.

The Foundation’s “Centres of Excellence” programme was launched at the school on Wednesday. The aim of the programme is to enhance the physical environment of special needs schools, ensuring that the space is comfortable and meets international standards, and the intellectual space is nourished through various therapeutic and educational sustainable activities.

In a media release, the Foundation said having invested in several programmes, including the Therapy Based Education Programme led by occupational, behavioural and speech and language therapists; the aquaponics programme, which serves as a means of therapy and new income stream for the school, and most recently the Preparing You disaster preparedness programme, where teachers and students are educated on how to respond to disaster; the last piece of the puzzle was the physical upgrade of the school’s facilities.

Evelyn Ohonba, senior special education teacher, thanked the Foundation saying many corporate bodies have offered support but have never followed through. She said the Foundation has always kept its promises of assistance and for that the school was very grateful.

The Foundation said it will now turn its attention to the Rio Claro Learning and Development Centre for Special Children.

As a geologist, the fundamentals of engineering should not be alien to him.

Consequently, he would know that by simply changing our water distribution system from an inefficient one mainly dependent on pumps to one reliant on gravity, it would reduce cost and drastically improve our water distribution.

A great place to start would be in Moruga where the village of Marac is at the end of the distribution grid and rarely receives water.

WASA can in a short time place a distribution tank on one of the many hills overlooking Moruga, utilise the existing pumps to send water to that tank and distribute water via gravity to every household in the Moruga area.

That practice is common throughout the developed world.

In the very flat areas where there are no hills, water towers are constructed to allow for a gravity-fed distribution system.

Another area we look forward to immediate change is in road restoration. One expects that the new Minister of Public Utilities would insist that WASA puts in place a policy that road restoration becomes part of the repair activities when pipes are repaired or placed along our roadways.

It would not be surprising if, however, things remain the same.

Somehow governments past and present find great difficulty in doing simple things.

They complain about guns and drugs being brought in at our coastal villages and are unable to revive the closed-down marine police branch.

They speak of increasing levels of crime and are unable to put in place a structured police patrol in every community.

They speak of rebuilding TT and are unable to restructure local government and empower communities to have a say in their development.

They speak of development for our youths but fail to invest heavily in sports and new avenues of permanent employment for our young people.

Simple things like manufacturing tamper-proof licence plates and making vehicle transfers less complicated remain elusive while legislation that places huge fines and a further burden on drivers are rushed through Parliament.

It is not impossible for one to assume that our governments over the past 15 or more years have not been doing much to improve the quality of life for all our citizens. There are hundreds of NHA houses completed and not distributed.

Citizens crippled by crime are unable to access non-lethal devises to protect themselves and their families while criminals can boast of a multimillion dollar gun trade.

Thousands of acres of agricultural lands are left abandoned and subject to illegal occupancy.

Healthcare is at such a poor state that patients are on waiting lists for months to access urgent medical services like CT scans and life saving surgery.

The Prime Minister, like many others before him, is in a quandary.

The politics of TT can be said to be associated with gangs of criminal elements on the ground and groups of unscrupulous financiers at the top.

In the middle are the voters hoping that things will change while the politicians seek to satisfy the top and bottom, whose interest may not be in tandem with that which is best for TT.

Keith Rowley, the one who was brave enough to insist that PNM changes its modus operandi, can be the Prime Minister to make the changes necessary to rebuild our nation or be just another pawn in our hopeless attempt to govern ourselves efficiently.

STEVE ALVAREZ via email

Benjamin equalised in the second half with a brilliant solo goal before being involved in two other items, scored by a Jabloteh shirt and substitute Jamal Charles—all after the visitors had grabbed the lead against the run of play from a converted penalty by Josiah Trimmingham in the first half.

The night’s appetiser also had its exciting moments, when Club Sando, in the earlier game were ruthless, defeating Police FC 4-0 for their second consecutive win on the trot.

Keron Cornwall scored on either side of the break for the Angus Eve-coached Sando, who also had second half items from midfielder Jarod London and substitute forward Adan Noel.

Connection, in the top of the table-clash, celebrated their final goal of the night deep in stoppage-time when substitute and Grenada international Jamal Charles buried his shot past Jabloteh goalkeeper Javon Sample for the 3-1 win after combining with Benjamin in the area.

But it wasn’t the best of nights in the finishing department for Connection, who should have won more comfortably.

Connection’s first half of missed chances included falling behind after 26 minutes.

Trimmingham had converted powerfully from the penalty spot for the San Juan Kings after referee Keilon Bacchus ruled that Connection defender Gerard Williams had brought down Jamaican midfielder Keithy Simpson in the area.

Jabloteh forward Julio Noel could have added to Connection’s miseries five minutes from the half when he fired overbar from inside the box after brilliantly controlling a Kion Joseph cross in mid-air. Moments after, Dimitri Apai curled an attempt onto the Jabloteh crossbar, and early in the second half, Benjamin, who previously fed the pass to the Suriname forward, took matters into his own hands.

The lightning-paced winger blew past Jabloteh’s Kennedy Hinkson in the area before chipping Sample in the 55th minute to level the scores.

Three minutes after, Benjamin found Alvin Jones inside the right of the area, and the latter’s fizzing pass across the six yard area cannoned off Trimmingham and into the back of the net.

Sample was hung out to dry by his defence in the final minute of stoppage time and scorer Jamal Charles and Benjamin led the celebration.

In Trinidad, Zumba has gained popularity in gyms because Trinidadians love music, pulsating rhythms, and dance.

Zumba combines all of that with exercise. This fun form of exercise burns between 350 and 650 calories in an hour if you weigh between 120-170 pounds and workout at full intensity throughout the entire class. Salsa, ballroom dancing and disco burn approximately 396 calories an hour, while slow forms of dancing such as the waltz burn much less, at about 216 calories per hour depending on the intensity of the routine and your performance.

The best part of dancing for exercise is the music and movement. The beat energises you, giving you the vitality you require to feed into the workout. Even after a most taxing day at the office, school or at home with the family, you can look forward to your exercise routine. Dance is fun, relaxes the mind and allows the stresses of the day to fade away in its pulsating rhythms, while supporting your weight loss goals or maintain your desired physique.

Dance in all its various forms improve balance and coordination, however, some forms of dance are more effective than others. The Argentinian tango, for example, requires lots of twists, leg kicks and torso rotations. It requires keeping your centre of balance stable to make sure you don’t lose your step as you twist and turn. While b-boy dancing requires that you work your entire body especially your core and upper body.

Dance fitness provides motivation to continue working out on a regular basis. There is no single dance type that you must choose, but rather a large variety of dance classes that you can sample and select based on your preferences. Dance fitness classes are offered at fitness centres/gyms, dance centres and even community centres. In addition, several companies have produced dance-oriented aerobic workouts that can be purchased on DVD and performed in the comfort of your own home.

For example, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs by Shaun T and Zumba. Many of these popular dance workouts offer free sample routines on YouTube, so you can try it at home before making the investment.

There are several types to choose from when deciding which dance best suites your personal fitness goals and your personal taste. The more common types of dance fitness and at least one place where you can experience it are as follows: Ballet Dance Fitness Classes are ideal for adults and adolescents. They’re designed to improve posture and increase flexibility in your muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Ballet-oriented dance fitness classes also increase muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance, and promote grace, poise and elegance in your movements. In Trinidad, the ‘Le Ballet School’ located in St Augustine Trinidad offers ballet classes for beginner’s whether child or adult.

Basic Ballroom Dance Fitness Classes involve performing the basic steps associated with various types of ballroom dances like the Cha-Cha, Foxtrot, Jive, Quickstep, Rumba, Salsa, Samba, Tango and the Waltz. Each of these ballroom-dance types focus on improving flexibility, balance, co-ordination, cardiovascular endurance and muscular tone. Eugene Joseph Trinidad Dance Theatre offers classes in various dance disciplines at various locations in Trinidad.

Hip-Hop Dance Fitness Classes receive their inspiration from break dancing, street dancing and jazz, and emphasise rhythm and high energy when performed. Hip-hop dance fitness classes tend to burn a high number of calories, and are tailored to individuals who enjoy hip-hop music and are looking to lose excess body weight. Loose-fitting, comfortable clothing is recommended when performing a hip-hop dance fitness class. The Trinidad and Tobago Dance Community, located in Port-of-Spain is one of the organisations that promotes and highlights urban dance.

Pure Latin Dance Fitness Classes are typically performed by couples or individuals with a partner. Pure Latin danceoriented classes include dance styles like the Cha-Cha, Jive, Rumba, Salsa and Samba. Like many other dance styles, pure Latin dance styles promote improvements in cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, balance and coordination.

In addition, these types of dance movements tend to be sophisticated, high energy and enjoyable to perform.

Salsamology Dance Academy located in St Augustine, Tunapuna, Arima, San Fernando, Woodbrook, Tacarigua, and Port-of-Spain provide classes in many dance styles.

Street Dance Fitness Classes utilise several different styles of dance and are typically performed with a high level of energy. Street dance fitness classes promote cardiovascular and muscular development and require balance and co-ordination between the participants.

In addition, the high-energy nature of the dance routines is an excellent way to relieve stress and calm the mind.

Island Hop Dance Workshops located at Picton Street, Newtown, Port-of-Spain offer the opportunity to experience street dance with Trini flavour.

Each of the different dance styles incorporate several similar movements and concepts, though each is unique. For this reason, you will want to assess each of the dance types to determine which of them best suits not only your personal fitness goals, but also your personality. Keep in mind that you can try these in the comfort of your own home before committing finances by looking at the free videos on YouTube.

Remember that learning the dance technique associated with each of the dance styles will require discipline, although they should be a lot more fun than a general workout. As with any fitness routine, it may be beneficial to exercise with a workout partner or companion to remain dedicated to your workout.

So, what is the correct way to remove your makeup? Is there a correct way? Not necessarily. Makeup removal is a very personal process that will heavily depend on your skin type and its needs. There are lots of different methods and products that you can use. It will be up to you to find a routine that agrees with your skin.

You can first cleanse your skin with a makeup removing towelette. I don’t usually recommend using them alone, because they don’t take everything off. They are particularly great if you’re wearing waterproof or long-wear makeup. It will help to get most of your makeup off so you won’t have to work as hard to cleanse your skin. If your eye makeup isn’t coming off, saturate a cotton pad with eye makeup remover and hold it on your eye for about 30 seconds. It will help to dissolve the makeup, so it can easily be wiped away.

Depending on your skin type, you can either use oil, cream or foam cleanser on your skin. Oil is best for dry skin, cream can work for any skin type and foam will be best for oily skin. That is not to say that your skin type won’t experience positive results with an alternative product. It is important to try different methods until you find something that works.

To boost the cleansing power of your face wash, pair it with a skin brush or skin cleansing device such as a Clarisonic or Foreo Luna. If your skin doesn’t respond well to the chemicals in cleansers, you can try a makeup removing cloth such as the Makeup Eraser, which removes all makeup without the use of a cleanser. You simply saturate the cloth with warm water and gently rub away your makeup. The cloth can then be washed, dried and reused. If you’re worried that it didn’t get all the makeup off, now would be a great time to use a micellar water. It is meant to remove dirt, impurities and oil without using any water or soap. It’s the gentlest way to cleanse your face without irritating or offsetting the pH of your skin.

When it comes to removing your lip colour, slather some petroleum jelly or coconut oil onto your lips and let it sit there for a few minutes. Then you can take a cotton pad and wipe your lipstick away. If any colour or residue remains, you can try using a lip scrub. A mixture of brown sugar and coconut oil will help to slough away any dry patches, colour and product while also conditioning and softening your lips.

It is important to note that makeup removal should extend to your makeup brushes and your pillowcase too. It makes very little sense to have squeaky clean skin but dirty makeup brushes and pillows. Dirt, sebum, bacteria and dust can build up on your brushes, which can cause breakouts. Hair products, oil and dirt can transfer from your hair to your pillow as you sleep, so it is very important to change your pillowcase frequently to reduce the possibility of getting breakouts.

In 1964, Shurland’s cousin, Stephanie, was the first local principal of the now 96-year-old school, which was founded in 1921 by Arthur Henry Anstey – Anglican Bishop of Trinidad and Tobago – with a student body of 48 girls. Bishop Anstey believed that girls of all ethnic, religious and social backgrounds deserved access to the knowledge, skills and values to compete, thrive and contribute positively in a rapidly changing world.

Shurland is 11th in the line of principals at this school in which the Anglican church retains its involvement.

Although the school is financially assisted by the government, it is run by a Board of management appointed and chaired by the Bishop. The first three headmistresses were foreigners – Amelia .M. Stephens (1921-1938), Dorothy Shrewsbury (1938- 1950) and Christina Sutherland (1950- 1964). The new principal, herself a mother of two adult children, was busy settling into her new office in the Abercromby Street School in this the last week of the school year, but found time to share her aspirations for “Bishop’s”, where the student body is now approximately 700.

She comes with a wealth of experience from Diego Martin North Secondary School, where she has been vice principal for the past seven years. Prior to that, she was Dean of Discipline, responsible for ensuring that students are functioning successfully; academically and behaviorally; and also ensuring the safety and good health of students.

As dean, she was also responsible for preparing schemes of work, lesson plans, classroom delivery.

She also functioned in the capacity of Head of Department and was the teacher representative on the Local School Board.

“I did not know I wanted to be a teacher but I always took charge of my three siblings, grooming and talking to them when my parents were not around,” the new principal said.

Shurland was encouraged to follow her ‘fashionista’ dream by her deceased mother, and obtained a Bachelor of Fine Art in Fashion Design with a minor in Art Education at Pratt Institute in New York.

She lived abroad for 12 years, travelling the world working in the fashion industry, but always knew “I wanted to come back home,” which she did.

“I was moving up in education having started as a qualified teacher, but I always wanted to be a principal.” She did a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, followed by a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Education – International Education and is now working towards a Doctor of Philosophy – Psychology – Counselling Psychology, which should be completed in 2018.

“Seeing a lot of behavioural issues in the classroom I knew that is what I want to do, pursue this course so that after teaching this would be my area of interest. Children and families, that is what I am focusing on now through field work at the Child Guidance Clinic, which is only for children three to 18.

There are a lot of mental health concerns in Trinidad and Tobago, also a lot of hurting parents.” She is also affiliated to several other church and educational organisations, including recently being appointed treasurer of the Alzheimer’s Association of Trinidad and Tobago.

How is she going to personally achieve all that she wants in readiness for postretirement from the teaching service in the next three years, and at the same time manage this school where the motto, “Non Sine Pulvere Palmam” – not without dust the palm – has guided many exceptional women in their work in or on behalf of the wider national and regional communities in the country? Her reply was: “I have always been very active and am able to balance my time as am a very well organised and meticulous person.

“My tenure here as principal is not going to be long but I am going to do as much as I can to bring Bishop’s back to a place where people respect the accomplishments of the girls. We have a lot to offer. It has always been a school of excellence. Above all I wanted to do this for what Auntie Stephanie represented as a past principal and for what my late mother instilled in her three girls. She had a staunch, Victorian background and was always there to push us.”

This week The Girlfriends return with a list of deal breakers in their close friendships with their “in real life” girlfriends. Sometimes the lines are blurred and because of the length of time you’ve invested in the relationship, or the secrets you hold for each or even the bonds of family, it’s difficult to determine when you need to cut it, if only for your sanity and peace of mind. But there will come a time when some people need to get the axe and be removed from your life especially when their actions are questionable and have you doubting the value or relevancy of the relationship.

Kimba: I think the most obvious sleeping with my man or my ex.

Staci: Always number one Kimba but two questions arise from this. 1. How recent an ex and 2. There are other things can friends do besides sleep with ya man, that is equally disgusting and you may be liable to cut ties as a result.

Kimba: The ex thing is really a “depends” yes… as a friend you would know how important this person was (or not). You always know when there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed and ones that could. You know when it’s going to hurt the other person if you went with them and you know others they won’t give a hoot about. Plus suppose your ex is the love of their life person? Suppose they are meant for each other? Would you really stand in the way of that? Katherine: Talking my business with people.

Kimba: Secret sharing is a def no no.

Mel: I think the big one for me is expecting us to be the same over time just because we’re friends. Over the years, I’ve lost two great female friends as a result.

Kimba: Being present when I’m being bad talked and not defending me because then I will begin to wonder why they so comfortable bad talking me with you too. Some friendships become toxic and I have cut a bff off because of it. It wasn’t just one thing but a culmination of repeated things that she did. Tried to ruin my friendships with others, bad talking me, lying… yeah, I cut that off. I still love her though but from afar!

Staci: I think sabotaging your relationship or reputation with other people is a sure sign of a toxic friend that needs to get cut.

Ronz: A big one for me is knowing something important and not telling me. I know it’s hard to share bad news like yuh man horning yuh or someone is trying to sabotage you at work but a close friend who would rather have me look like a fool than tell me what’s up is a deal breaker.

Kimba: This is true for me but think also the person who chose to tell and then lost their friend over it. Some people know their friend and choose to stay out of drama to preserve the friendship if they know the results can cause the loss of it. Me? I telling! Let the chips fall where they may.

Ronz: I agree Kimba and honestly, I wouldn’t be quick to tell every friend they man horning but my closest friends I would take that risk. I have no attachment to what they decide to do after I tell them but no close friend could ever come to me and say how I knew the horn was happening and I eh tell them.

Mel: Not supporting each other. We can’t be “all that” if we not supporting each other, I mean if you take more than ten minutes to acknowledge I’ve tagged you in an IG story – it’s over!

Staci: But what about in specific situations? Like after a divorce or breakup with your man and your friend seems more sympathetic to your ex than you? Plenty woman can’t deal with their friend remaining friends or friendly with their ex.

Mel: Friend divorce settlements are hard. The person in the middle has to be a champion. Be mature is my only rule.

Kimba: Yes, this is real hard and def an issue. Especially when it’s a bitter separation.

Mel: When I had my situation, it was hard but some friends shined and never chose sides. Don’t get me wrong though, everyone has an opinion and that is allowed but you have to think of both people and if they’re your friends, help or say nothing. And helping is saying good, general things, like “I always admired you guys as a couple” or “I still can’t believe it nah”… blah blah blah. Saying things like “iz not my business” is bad – it seems dismissive.

Ronz: Yeah, the division of friends is a tough one sometimes. I think people need to just make sure they are staying out of any “He said She said” stuff and avoid getting caught up in being the shoulder to cry on for the partner who wasn’t your friend to begin with, especially if you’re still very close with the other person.

Mel: I’m in a fading friendship now actually. Cutting the routine is hard but there are certain things that just aren’t done and said by true friends. It’s a delicate dance but I find it’s the same pain as going through a breakup with a lover.

Ronz: Exactly

Mel: And Sometimes worse. Especially if you put in work! Another friendship deal breaker for me… slinging things I confide in you back at me when we arguing! Not cool! If I talking to you about your relationship – after you asked for advice – and I give you, and it’s not what you want to hear, don’t fling that me and my man ain’t perfect in my face.

Ronz: Nah, friendship officially on pause for reassessment.

When it becomes tit for tat it means you want to show you better than me and that means this ain’t a friendship. Lying to me is another friendship killer. I can’t handle the confusion and doubt that lying creates.

Staci: Great point Ronz, so friends who can’t stand to see you win or is always trying to compete with you, what do we do with them?

Ronz: I’m not a competitive person so that would be super annoying. A friend who isn’t happy with your successes isn’t a friend. That’s an easy cut to make.

Mel: Eh liking nothing or sharing my small business posts on ya Facebook, I see your non-supportive behind, un-friend!

Katherine: Another deal breaker for me is if we go out and you never buy a rounds but always bumming drinks.

Ronz: Friends who sponge habitually are advantageous and usually users. Everyone might go through a low/tough period financially but if you routinely expect me to carry you when we go out, nah!

Staci: Sponging heffas, can’t stand ‘em. And what about someone who is always negative about everything every single time you guys interact? Arm’s length or cut it?

Kimba: Arm’s length. Everyone needs a friend! I’m guessing they must have some positive attributes someway! Staci: Or what about the friend who always drops you when she has a man and the minute they don’t work out she’s ringing off your phone wanting to make plans?

Niks: I’m that friend that don’t answer those types of calls anymore #sorrynotsorry

Ronz: You would only ketch me with that once. I may be open to reconnecting with you after the _ rst time but not twice #aintnobodygottimeforthat

Kimba: Also. People who just attract and create drama everywhere they go… tiresome.

Mel: Dais me though, sigh, lol.

Kimba: Hey no one is perfect we’ve all done things we weren’t proud of or were questionable… the thing is we can acknowledge it and grow and try to be better friends.

The Girlfriends is a group of 15 women between the ages of 26 – 45 who are willing to give an unadulterated look into their own experiences.

Some names have been changed for privacy

The win took Trident’s points tally for the 2017 National Championship Series to 3,332 to hand owner and throttleman Trevor Sun and driver Kern Coltes the prestigious “Best Boat of the Year” award.

Sheriff Lobo, who was in a close race with Trident all year, will be representing Trinidad and Tobago in the World Championships in Key West Florida in November.

It was a thrilling ending to the season which featured five regattas – Regatta One (January), Track Batteries Regatta (March), IRP Safety and Fire Regatta (April), GNC Regatta (May) and last week’s Oasis Premium Water Regatta.

Sun, 53 years old, has been racing for over 18 years and believes good preparation was the difference between his boat and the rest of the competition this year.

“We started early – like December last year – in terms of preparation and got all new equipment and the boat is also a brand new boat. We did things in an order and strategically and built everything from scratch. We finished early January, did our testing and were pleased with the results and we took it from there,” he said.

Sun, a mechanic, said having someone from the crew being the primary person in charge of fine-tuning and fixing gives them a decisive edge.

“I’m a mechanic also and I did the rigging and electrical on the boat so the expertise was inhouse.

It’s an advantage in that I don’t have to look for somebody and wait for them to come to do something, so that’s a definite advantage in saving time and labour cost.” Sun spoke glowingly of his boat’s chances of success next month at the Carib Great Race on August 19.

“Basically with the Regattas, I saw what most of the competition is like.

The only one I didn’t see was ‘Limitless’ who won last year in the 50mph class. That might be only serious challenger I have for this Great Race,” he said.

Trident is sponsored by K9 Security Method and Marine Consultants and was built by Calypso Marine Services Limited.

National Regatta Championships results
130 mph A Class: Ironman……………………………….2,021 points
95 mph D Class: Sheriff Lobo……………………………3,030 points
80 mph E Class: Outlaw……………………………………2,477 points
70 mph F Class: Fire Chief II…………………………….2,340 points
60 mph G Class: Trident……………………………………3,332 points